et  List  of  Mammals 


OF 


ERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


C.  EMERSON  BROWN 

In  Char«e  of  Vertebrate! 

PEABODY  MUSEUM. 
SALEM,  MASS. 


I**- 


f 


A  POCKET  LIST 


Mammals  of  Eastern  Massachusetts 


WITH    ESPECIAL    REFERENCE   TO 


ESSEX  COUNTY 


C.  EMERSON  BROWN 

In  Charge  of  Vertebrates,  Peabody  Museum,  Salem,  Mass. 
Taxidermist  to  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History,  Boston,  Mass. 


Published  by  the 

PBABODY  ACADEMY  OF  SCIENCE 

SALEM,  MASS. 

1913 


Copyright  by 

Peabody  Academy  of  Science 
'9'3- 


Pria  tf  Nrwomt  V  Gaut. 
Saltm,   Man. 


PREFACE. 

The  study  of  Mammals  in  the  field  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting pursuits  to  a  student  of  Natural  History  and  it  is 
only  by  very  careful  and  persistent  work  that  one  can  be- 
come at  all  proficient  in  it.  Many  of  the  Mammals  do  not 
come  out  at  all  in  the  day  time,  and  those  that  do,  move 
about  so  noiselessly  that  they  are  seldom  seen  except  by 
the  trained  eye.  Their  signs,  however,  are  always  present 
and  by  closely  studying  them  one  may  learn  much  of  their 
habits  and  consequently  be  enabled  to  see  them  much  more 
frequently.  A  walk  in  winter  after  a  light  fall  of  snow  is 
doubly  interesting,  for  then  from  the  tiny  shrew  to  the 
Antlered  Buck  all  are  on  the  move  and  their  tracks  may  be 
plainly  recognized  apd  easily  followed.  At  such  a  time 
one  is  surprised  at  the  great  number  of  tracks  to  be  found- 
I  have  walked  through  the  woods  late  in  the  fall  without 
seeing  a  mammal  of  any  kind  and  the  next  day  after  a  snow 
have  taken  the  same  walk  and  found  the  snow  literally 
covered  with  tracks. 

In  this  list  I  have  made  no  attempt  at  full  description. 
Most  of  the  species  I  have  either  described  in  part  or  com- 
pared with  others  to  render  identification  easy.  I  have 
included  in  it  several  species  which,  although  they 
have  not  been  actually  taken  within  the  county  limits, 
doubtless  live  here.  It  is  hoped  that  this  list  may  create 
an  interest  in  the  Essex  County  collection,  and  that  it  may 
be  the  means  of  adding  many  new  specimens  to  the  mu- 
seum. A  list  of  desiderata  is  added  at  the  end  of  this  list, 
and  any  specimens  therein  named  will  be  very  gratefully 
received  and  acknowledged. 

In  the  making  of  this  list  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  Dr. 
Glover  M.  Allen  for  his  kindness  in  looking  it  over  and  for 
many  helpful  suggestions  and  to  Professor  E.  S.  Morse  for 
revising  manuscript. 


2051050 


MAMMALIA. 
Order  Cetacea. 

Whales,  Porpoises,  and  Dolphins. 

This  group  of  mammals  living  wholly  in  the  water  as 
they  do  have  become  so  modified  that  there  is  very  little 
resemblance  externally  to  the  class  of  animals  to  which  they 
belong.  And  they  are  continually  confused  with  the  fishes 
by  a  great  many  people.  Mammals  of  this  order  are  seldom 
seen  and  not  easily  recognized.  They  are  entirely  carnivo- 
rous, their  food  consisting  of  fishes,  mollusks  and  crusta- 
ceans. They  often  travel  in  "  schools,"  sometimes  con- 
taining hundreds  of  individuals. 

FAMILY  BALAENIDAE. 

Bight    Whale;     Black     Whale;      Nord-Caper, 

Eubalaena  glacialis  (Bonnaterre). 

This  whale  is  of  large  size,  a  full  grown  specimen  meas- 
uring 50  to  60  ft.  The  head  is  nearly  equal  to  1-3  of  the 
total  length.  Color  black,  sometimes  varied  with  white 
beneath.  They  have  no  fin  on  the  back  which  serves 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  Finback  or  Humpback.  Its 
range  is  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  although  there  is 
no  definite  record  of  this  species  having  been  captured 
within  the  county  limits,  it  no  doubt  occurs  off  shore. 
Scammon  states  that  the  Right  Whale  sometimes  yields  130 
bbls.  of  oil  and  1550  Ibs.  of  whalebone.*  See  Plate  1. 

Humpback  Whale.    Megaptera  nodosa  (Bonnaterre). 

This  whale  has  been  seen  off  Marblehead.  It  occurs 
rarely.  Description  in  a  general  way  much  like  the  Fin- 
back, except  back  strongly  convened,  flippers  very  long  and 
scalloped  on  edge,  color  black  above,  white  beneath.  See 
Plate  1. 

•Marine  Mammals  and  Whale  Fisheries,  p.  66. 


6  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Little     piked     whale.      lialaenoptera     acuto-rostrata 
Lacepede. 

Length  from  10  to  35  ft.  Easily  recognized  by  its  small 
size,  large  head,  presence  of  "  whale-bone"  in  the  mouth. 
Deep  longitudinal  furrows  on  throat.  Color  black  above, 
pinkish-white  beneath,  a  white  band  around  the  flippers  5 
or  6  in.  wide.  Often  taken  for  a  young  right  whale.  The 
only  record  for  the  county  is  an  imperfect  skull  dredged  up 
at  Pigeon  Cove  in  1881  and  sent  to  the  National  Museum  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  In  August,  1910,  a  specimen  came 
ashore  at  Provincetown.  A  cast  of  this  specimen  is  now 
on  exhibition  at  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History. 
See  Plate  2. 

Common  Finback  whale ;  Finback.    Balaenoptera 
physalus  (Linne). 

Common  off  our  coast.  Length  40  to  50  feet.  Head 
equal  or  rather  less  than  1-4  the  total  length.  A  fleshy 
dorsal  fin  is  present.  Color  black  above,  white  beneath, 
and  mottled  on  the  side.  It  is  said  to  be  a  more  active 
and  rapid  swimmer,  than  the  Right  Whale.  See  Plate  1. 

Sulphur- bottom  ;  Blue  Whale.    Balaenoptera  mus- 
culus  (Linne). 

This  is  the  giant  of  all  whales.  Length  70  to  90  feet.  It 
is  a  pelagic  species  and  is  usually  seen  well  off  shore. 
Color  brownish  gray  above,  sulphur  yellow  beneath.  The 
Dorsal  fin  lies  well  back  and  is  very  small  and  thin.  The 
only  record  is  of  one  which  was  cast  ashore  on  King's 
Beach  at  Lynn.*  See  Plate  2. 

FAMILY  PHYSETERIDAE. 

Sperm    whale ;    Cachalot.     Physeter    macrocephalus 
(Linne). 

Color  brownish  black  above,  lighter  below.  This  species 
probably  occurs  rarely  off  the  coast.  It  is  one  of  our 
largest  whales,  a  full  grown  specimen  measuring  from  60 
to  80  ft.  Head  oblong,  level  with  back,  square  and  trun- 

•Felt'a  History  of  Lynn  and  Salem. 


PLATE   1 


Right  Whale  Length  50  to  60  Ft. 


Humpback  Whale  Length  40  to  50  Ft. 


Rn-back  Whale    Length  40  to  50  Ft. 


Little  Piked  Whale  Length  10  to  35  Ft. 


Sulphur-bottom  Whale  Length  70  to  90  Ft. 


White  Whale  Length  10  to  12  Ft, 


8  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

cate  in  front.     Lower  jaw  very  narrow  in  front  with  22  to 
24  large  teeth  on  each  side.    See  Plate  3. 

Pigmy  Sperm  Whale.    Kogia  breviceps  (Blainville). 

Very  rare.  One  specimen  taken  at  Nabant  where  it  came 
ashore  on  the  Beach  Oct.  30th,  1910.  A  cast  of  this  speci- 
men by  the  author  is  now  on  exhibition  at  the  Boston  So- 
ciety of  Natural  History.  It  is  about  12  feet  long.  Shape 
very  much  like  the  larger  "  Sperm  whale."  The  under  jaw 
has  very  slender  curved  teeth  set  about  an  inch  apart.  It 
also  has  a  small  dorsal  fin.  Color  black  on  back,  white  be- 
neath, extending  up  on  side  as  far  as  flipper.  Length  10  to 
15  feet.  See  Plate  4. 

Bottle-nose  Whale  ;  Pug  Head  Whale.    Hyper oo- 
don  ampullatum  (Forster). 

Length  15  to  20  ft.  Color,  Black  above,  Grayish  White 
beneath.  Old  specimens  have  a  more  or  less  vertical  fore- 
head terminating  in  a  decidedly  pointed  Snout  or  Beak; 
in  the  younger  ones  the  forehead  is  much  lower  and 
rounded.  There  are  two  teeth  present  in  the  lower  jaw 
near  the  end  which  are  loosely  buried  in  the  gums  and 
barely  visible  above  them.  This  Whale  inhabits  the  North 
Atlantic  ocean.  There  is  no  record  of  its  having  been 
taken  in  Essex  County,  and  the  only  record  for  the  State 
is  of  one  taken  at  North  Dennis,  Mass.  A  few  years  ago 
one  came  ashore  at  Wells  Beach,  Maine,  a  cast  of  which 
was  made  by  the  author  for  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural 
Eistory,  where  it  is  now  exhibited.  It  was  a  young  male, 
about  15  feet  long. 

Sowerby's  whale ;  Two-toothed  whale ;  Cowflsh. 

Mesoplodon  bidens  (Sowerby). 

Length  16  to  20  feet.  Front  of  skull  vertical  in  full 
grown  specimen  sometimes  projecting  in  very  old  ones. 
Beak  very  prominent.  Male  with  one  tooth  on  each  side  of 
lower  jaw  at  about  the  middle.  Female  toothless.  Color. 
Uniform  black  all  over. 

This  is  a  pelagic  species  and  extremely  rare.  There  is 
one  record  for  the  County.  A  young  female  came  ashore 
at  Annisquam,  Cape  Ann  in  August,  1898,  the  skeleton  and 
photographs  of  which  are  now  in  the  Museum  of  the  Bos- 


10  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

ton  Society  of  Natural  History.  I  believe  the  only  other 
specimen  ever  taken  and  recorded  on  the  Atlantic  Coast 
was  at  Nantucket,  Mass,  in  1867. 

FAMILY  DELPHINIDAE. 

White  whale.     Delphinapterus  leucas  (Pallas). 

Length  of  adult  10  or  11  feet.  Head  rounded,  neck 
visibly  narrowed.  Flipper  small.  No  fin  on  back.  Color 
of  adult  entirely  white,  immature  mottled  with  gray.  A 
very  rare  straggler  from  the  North ;  one  record  only.  One 
seen  by  Dr.  C.  W.  Townsend  off  the  end  of  Cape  Ann  on 
Nov.  13,  1904.*  See  Plate  2. 

Killer  Whale;  Orca.     Orcinus  orca  (Linne). 

Length,  15  to  20  feet.  Forehead  flat,  color,  Black  above, 
White  beneath,  in  strong  contrast;  back  fin  extremely 
long,  sometimes  reaching  the  length  of  6  feet  in  the  males; 
flippers  rather  short  and  rounded.  A  white  spot  above 
the  eye  and  two  white  stripes  on  the  sides.  There  is  no 
record  for  Essex  County,  but  they  have  been  reported  in 
Massachusetts  Bay. 

Blackftsh  ;  Social  whale ;  Pilot  whale.    Globiceph- 
ala  melas  (Traill). 

This  species  usually  travels  in  large  schools,  sometimes 
numbering  two  or  three  hundred.  A  large  school  was 
sighted  off  Monument  Beach  in  September,  1907.  The 
school  was  surrounded  by  boats  and  driven  into  shallow 
water  where  a  number  of  them  were  killed.  This  school 
contained  about  45  individuals,  of  one  of  which  I  made  a 
cast  which  measured  14  feet  in  length  and  was  an  average 
sized  specimen.  The  record  for  the  county  is  of  a  specimen 
taken  in  Beverly  Harbor,  October,  1873  by  Capt.  C.  C.  Os- 
good  and  J.  W.  Larrabee.  The  skeleton  of  this  is  on  ex- 
hibition in  the  Peabody  Museum.  Description:  Teeth,  10 
in  each  jaw.  Color  black  on  back,  a  small  area  of  white 
beneath  which  varies  greatly  in  size  and  shape.  Easily 
identified  by  small  size,  extra  long  flipper  and  its  numerous 
teeth.  See  Plate  4. 

•See  Townsend's  Birds  of  Essex  County. 


Grampus    Length  10  to  12  Ft. 


Sperm  Whale  Length  60  to  80  Ft. 


Common   Dolphin   Length  7  Ft. 


12  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Grampus;  Cowfish.     Grampus  griseus  (Cuvier). 

This  species  probably  occurs  off  our  coast.  Length  10 
feet.  In  general  shape,  very  much  like  the  Blackfish,  but 
color  dark  gray  above,  lighter  beneath,  irregular  lighter 
stripes  on  sides.  Teeth  on  upper  jaw  entirely  absent,  8  to 
14  on  lower  jaw.  Habitat:  off  North  Atlantic  Coast  south 
to  New  Jersey.  See  Plate  3. 

Common  harbor  porpoise;  Puffing  pig.  Phocaena 
phocaena  (Linne). 

Length  of  full  grown  specimen  about  5  feet.  Very  com- 
mon off  our  coast  and  in  the  harbors,  travelling  in  small 
schools,  coming  often  to  the  surface  and  making  a  sort  of 
rolling  dive,  exposing  the  back  and  dorsal  fin.  Head  rounded 
in  front,  no  beak.  Color  black  on  back,  shading  gradually 
to  white  on  belly.  Sides  tinged  with  pinkish.  A  dark  band 
from  lower  jaw  to  front  of  flipper.  Teeth  26  in  each  jaw. 
Range  North*Atlantic  south  to  New  Jersey.  See  Plate  4. 

Striped  Dolphin  ;  Skunk  porpoise.    Lagenorhynchus 
acutus  (Gray). 

Length  8  feet.  Teeth  35  above,  37  below.  Beak  extreme- 
ly short.  Color  black  on  back.  Sides  with  white  and  yel- 
lowish patches.  A  narrow  stripe  from  base  of  tail  half  way 
to  middle  of  body.  Black  line  around  eye  extending  to 
snout  and  flipper.  Range  North  Atlantic  south  to  Cape  Cod. 

Common  dolphin ;  Ring-eyed  porpoise ;  Sea  por- 
poise.    Delphiuus  delphis  Linne. 

This  is  a  pelagic  species  and  is  seldom  found  near  the 
shore.  It  is  about  7  feet  long  when  full  grown  and  has  a 
long  narrow  beak.  The  color  is  black  above,  several 
curved  stripes  on  sides,  a  narrow  black  line  around  the  eye 
extending  to  the  beak.  Teeth  47  to  50  above,  46  to  51 
below.  See  Plafe  3. 

Bottle-nose  porpoise.     Tursiops  truncatus  (Montagu). 

Not  common.  Color  dark  gray  above  shading  gradually 
to  pure  white  on  under  parts.  Migratory  and  travels  in 
schools.  Teeth  22  in  each  jaw.  Range  North  Atlantic 
coast,  Maine  to  Florida. 


Black-Fish     Length  10  to  12  Ft. 


Pu|grYiL|  Sperm  Whale   Length  10  to  J 5  Ft. 


Harbor  Porpoise   Length  5  ft. 


14  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Order  Ungulata. 
Hoofed  Animals. 

FAMILY  CEBVIDAE. 

Northern  Virginia  deer.    Odocoileus  cirginianus  bore- 
alls  (Miller). 

Common  in  the  county  years  past.  On  Dec.  29,  1739  the 
town  of  Newbury  chose  two  persons  to  prosecute  any  one 
killing  a  buck,  doe,  or  fawn  deer  contrary  to  law.*  On 
Feb.  6,  1747  three  deer  went  through  Stephen  Morse's  land 
and  disappeared  in  Amesbury.t  Felt's  History  of  Ipswich 
of  1834  states  that  deer  were  found  in  Ipswich  as  late  as 
1790.  The  period  following  they  became  very  scarce,  if 
not  entirely  driven  out  ;  but  in  the  last  few  years  they  be- 
gan to  work  back  into  the  county  until  at  the  present  time 
they  are  common.  Within  the  past  two  or  three  years  I 
have  seen  a  number  of  them  at  Ipswich  Beach,  also  at 
Beverly,  Lynn  and  Topsfield,  and  they  have  been  reported 
from  all  over  the  county,  in  some  parts  doing  considerable 
damage  to  the  farmers'  crops.  In  1912  they  were  so  plen- 
tiful that  there  was  an  open  season  on  them  for  one  week 
in  November. 

Moose.    Alee  americanus  (Clinton). 

I  include  this  animal  in  the  Essex  County  list  on  the 
authority  of  Coffin's  History  of  Newbury  of  1845,  p.  203, 
which  says,  "  On  November  25,  1733  a  '  Mosse'  7  feet  high 
was  killed  in  Salisbury." 

•Coffin's  History  of  Newbnry,  1846,  p.  208. 
t  Coffin's  History  of  Newbury,  1846,  p.  218. 


16  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Order  Rodentia. 

Rodents,  or  Gnawing  Animals. 

FAMILY  SOIUBIDAK. 

Northern  gray  squirrel.     Returns  carolinensis  leucotis 
(Gapper). 

Very  common  and  increasing  in  number.  The  best  op- 
portunities for  studying  the  habits  of  gray  squirrels  are  to 
be  found  in  the  towns  and  villages.  Being  protected  by  law 
and  the  fact  of  their  seeking  the  society  of  man  in  settled 
districts,  they  are  seldom  shot  at  and  have  become  very 
tame.  Unlike  the  Red  Squirrel  they  do  not  inhabit  the 
deep  woods,  but  have  wisely  chosen  their  homes  in  civil- 
ized communities.  They  live  in  hollow  trees,  holes  in 
barns  or  other  buildings,  where  they  build  their  nests  of 
leaves  and  raise  their  families.  In  summer  they  make 
nests  of  sticks  and  leaves  in  the  tops  of  trees  or  take  pos- 
session of  an  old  crow's  or  hawk's  nest  and  roof  it  over 
with  leaves  for  a  summer  home.  The  young,  however, 
three  or  four  in  number,  are  usually  born  in  the  winter 
nests. 

Southern    red    squirrel ;    Southern    chickaree. 

Sciurus  hudsonicus  loquax  Bangs. 

This  mischievous  and  extremely  noisy  little  beast  is  very 
common  in  the  deep  woods,  and  can  be  seen  at  most  any 
season  of  the  year  busily  engaged  in  building  nests,  laying 
up  stores,  etc.  Their  food  consists  principally  of  nuts, 
acorns  and  seeds  of  the  pine  cones.  In  the  early  summer, 
while  the  young  are  still  unable  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
the  old  ones  begin  cutting  off  the  green  cones  of  the  white 
pine  and  storing  them  under  the  leaves  and  pine  needles  to 
be  dug  up  in  the  winter,  and  opened  for  the  seeds  which 
they  contain.  I  once  spent  half  an  hour  investigating  the 
cause  of  a  continual  steady  dropping  at  regular  intervals  of 
some  hard  objects,  and  found  it  to  be  two  Red  Squirrels  in 


18 


MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


the  very  topmost  branches  of  a  tall  pine  throwing  down 
the  green  cones.  Another  time  I  found  in  a  burfeau  drawer 
in  a  deserted  camp  in  Maine  over  two  quarts  of  hazel  nuts 
all  nicely  shelled  and  piled  up.  They  usually  build  their 
nests  in  hollow  trees.  An  old  apple  tree  in  or  near  a  pine 
wood  is  a  favorite  place.  They  also  build  a  "summer 
nest"  of  cedar  bark,  moss,  and  pine  needles,  often  in  a 
cedar  tree.  Sometimes  they  take  possession  of  an  old 
crow's  or  hawk's  nest,  and  roof  it  over  after  the  manner  of 
the  Gray  Squirrel.  The  young,  usually  four  in  number,  are 
born  early  in  the  spring. 

Chipmunk;  lister's  chipmunk;  Ground  Squir- 
rel ;  Striped  Squirrel.  Tamias  striatus  lysteri. 
(Richardson). 

Common  in  the  country  along  stone  walls  and  among 
rocks,  living  in  burrows  in  the  ground,  digging  a  tunnel 
nearly  straight  down  several  feet,  then  turning  and  contin- 
uing horizontally  for  a  few  yards  more  ;  the  tunnel  then 
ascends  a  trifle  into  a  chamber  about  a  foot  in  diameter, 
the  floor  of  which  is  usually  covered  with  soft  moss  and 
grasses.  An  emergency  exit  to  the  surface  by  a  shorter 
route  is  also  made.  The  entrance  is  placed  at  the  root  of  a 
stump  or  tree,  or  under  a  stone  wall,  hidden  from  view  and 
hard  to  locate  unless  disclosed  by  the  animals  themselves. 
Even  if  in  an  open  spot  it  is  difficult  to  find  as  no  sign  of 
dirt  is  thrown  up  to  mark  the  entrance.  In  winter  they 
hibernate  until  April  or  May.  In  the  early  Spring  the 
wintergreen  berries  are  a  favorite  food. 

Woodchuck;  Ground  hog.     Marmota  monax  (Linne). 

Very  common  in  fields  and  open  woodlands  throughout 
the  county.  They  live  in  burrows  and  hibernate  in  the 
winter  months,  going  into  their  dens  about  the  first  of 
November  and  although  there  is  an  old  legend  to  the  effect 
that  they  come  out  on  "Candlemas"  day  and  if  they  see 
their  shadow,  return  to  sleep  another  month,  they  do  not 
usually  come  out  until  sometime  in  March.  Toward  night- 
fall they  may  be  seen  in  almost  any  field  in  the  country, 
sitting  up  beside  their  burrows  or  feeding  near  by.  They 
seldom  venture  away  so  far  but  what  upon  the  first  warn- 


20  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

ing  of  danger  they  can  quickly  reach  their  holes.  About 
the  only  animal  that  woodchucks  have  to  fear  is  the  fox, 
and  from  them  they  are  never  safe,  not  even  in  their  bur- 
rows. They  are,  however,  an  enemy  of  the  farmer,  and  in 
1734  a  premium  of  £1  per  dozen  was  offered  by  the  town  of 
Ipswich  for  them.* 

Canadian  flying1  squirrel.    Sciuropterus  sabrinus  ma- 
crotis  Mearns. 

Uncommon.  Living  in  the  deep  forests  and  being  of  noc- 
turnal habits  this  interesting  little  mammal  is  seldom  seen. 
Their  home  is  in  a  hole,  usually  in  a  dead  tree,  sometimes 
in  a  deserted  woodpecker's  hole.  They  are  timid  animals 
and  easily  frightened  away.  Although  they  sleep  more  or 
less  during  the  winter  months  I  believe  they  are  active 
throughout  the  year  and  do  not  hibernate.  They  may  be 
distinguished  from  the  southern  variety  by  their  larger 
size,  redder  back,  black  ring  around  the  eye,  and  the  fur, 
if  blown  into  or  separated,  shows  a  dark  color  to  the  roots. 

Southern  flying  squirrel.  Sciuropterus  volans  (Linne). 

This  species,  which  is  much  more  common  than  the 
above,  lives  more  in  open  woodlands,  and  I  once  knew  one 
to  make  its  nest  in  a  bird  house  in  a  friend's  yard.  They 
are  somewhat  smaller,  no  ring  around  the  eye,  and  the  base 
of  the  hairs  are  white. 


FAMILY  CASTOBIDAK. 
Beaver.     Castor  canadensis  Kuhl. 

Extinct  in  the  state,  formerly  living  in  Essex  County. 

That  the  Beaver  once  made  its  home  and  built  its  dams 
on  our  ponds  and  streams  is  a  matter  of  tradition;  for  al- 
though it  is  spoken  of  in  some  of  the  older  histories,  I  am 
unable  at  the  present  time  to  find  any  definite  records  of 
their  having  been  taken.  And  unfortunately  no  specimens 
were  preserved. 

I  have  heard  my  uncle  speak  of  seeing  them  at  Beaver 
Pond,  Beverly  and  they  doubtless  lived  there  in  years  past. 

*Felt's  History  of  Ipswicb,  1834,  p.  44. 


22  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

The  City  of  Beverly  was  I  believe,  named  from  the  Town 
of  "  Beverly,"  England  (near  Hall)  and  means  the  Leigh  of 
the  Beaver,  Leigh  meaning  a  Marsh  or  Bog  or  in  other 
words  "  Beaver  Leigh"  (modified  to  "  Beverly")  meaning  a 
Beaver  Marsh  or  Bog. 


FAMILY  MUBIDAE. 

Common  house  mouse.    Mus  musculus  Linne. 

An  introduced  species,  very  common  in  buildings  and 
sometimes  in  fields.  As  nearly  every  one  is  familiar  with 
this  little  pest  a  description  is  unnecessary. 

Norway  rat ;  Brown  rat ;  Wharf  rat.  Epimys  nor- 
vegicus  Erxleben. 

Color  dark  grayish  brown.  They  sometimes  grow  to  a 
very  large  size  and  become  dangerous  if  cornered.  The 
young  are  much  darker,  sometimes  nearly  black.  An  in- 
troduced species,  very  common  around  barns  and  in  the 
neighborhood  of  wharves,  beaches,  and  freight  yards. 

Black  rat.     Epimys  rattus  (Linne). 

Introduced.  Uncommon  about  houses  and  barns  in  the 
country. 

Eastern  white  footed  mouse ;  Deer  mouse ; 
Wood  mouse.  Peromyscus  leucopus  noveboracensis. 
(Fischer). 

This  interesting  little  mouse  is  very  common  throughout 
the  county.  It  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  our  mice,  es- 
pecially in  its  winter  coat  when  their  fur  is  bright  fawn 
color  above  and  pure  white  beneath,  the  white  of  the  un- 
der side  reaching  well  up  on  the  shoulders,  and  the  line 
of  separation  being  straight  and  clean  cut.  The  young  are 
light  slaty  gray  in  color,  and  I  have  taken  full  grown  spec- 
imens varying  from  light  gray  to  bright  reddish  fawn  color 
at  the  same  season  of  the  year.  They  have  wonderfully 
large,  bright  eyes,  which  grow  much  larger  if  the  animal 
is  frightened.  I  once  drove  one  out  of  its  nest  onto  a 


24  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

slender  branch  overhanging  the  water,  and  as  it  clung 
there  its  eyes  seemed  on  the  point  of  popping  out.  They 
build  a  nest  of  tine  bark,  grass,  etc.,  sometimes  in  a  hole 
in  a  tree,  sometimes  on  the  ground  under  the  roots,  and  at 
times  appropriate  the  nests  of  song  birds  and  fit  them  up 
much  the  same  as  the  squirrels  do  the  nests  of  crows  and 
hawks.  They  usually  have  four  young,  very  small  and 
helpless,  with  slate-colored  bodies  and  no  hair.  As  they 
are  largely  nocturnal  in  their  habits,  they  are  seldom  seen 
in  the  daytime,  except  when  disturbed  from  their  nests. 
At  such  times  they  are  quite  tame. 


Kastern  red-backed  mouse.    Evolomys  gapperi  och- 
raceus  Miller. 

Rare,  one  taken  at  Ipswich  and  one  at  Methuen  was  the 
record  of  the  county  until  1912.  Then  several  were  taken 
at  Essex  by  W.  S.  Brooks  and  myself.  This  little  mouse, 
though  very  much  like  the  Meadow  Mouse  in  size  and 
shape,  is  easily  identified  by  its  longer  tail,  and  the  bright 
chestnut  color  of  the  back.  It  lives  in  cool,  damp  woods 
and  swamps,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  is  not  so  rare  as  has 
been  supposed,  as  it  would  not  be  likely  to  be  seen  or 
taken  unless  especially  sought.  The  young  lack  the  rusty 
red  tints. 


Meadow    mouse;    Meadow    vole;    Field    mouse. 

Microtus  pennsylvantcus  (Ord). 

Color,  dark  brown  above  sometimes  with  a  very  slight 
reddish  tinge  shading  to  gray  on  the  under  side.  Common 
in  grassy  fields  and  marshes.  If  hard  pushed,  they  take 
readily  to  the  water  and  swim  well.  They  build  a  nest  of 
dried  grass  under  a  rock  or  old  log  on  the  uplands.  This 
nest  looks  like  a  pile  of  dead  grass  and  is  about  5  or  6 
inches  in  diameter.  Their  path  to  it  is  made  by  gnawing 
off  the  grass  close  down  to  the  roots,  and  is  about  an  inch 
or  more  in  width,  the  grass  bending  over  enough  to  meet 
overhead  and  form  a  tunnel.  They  also  dig  burrows  fi.e 
or  six  inches  deep,  having  nests  of  fine  dried  grasses  at 
the  bottom  where  the  young  are  born. 


26  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Muskrat ;  Musquash.    Fiber  zibethicus  (Linne). 

Abundant  along  streams,  lakes,  ponds  and  marshes. 
This  interesting  and  inoffensive  animal,  although  persist- 
ently hunted  for  its  fur,  still  refuses  to  be  driven  away  by 
the  approach  of  civilization.  A  favorite  place  for  them  is 
along  the  Ipswich  River,  and  in  the  fall  their  houses  can 
be  seen  in  process  of  construction.  These  houses  are 
composed  of  mud,  sticks  and  grass,  and  appear  like  large 
mounds.  They  are  built  in  the  grass  on  the  riverbank, 
with  the  entrance  usually  under  water  and  extending 
upward  to  a  chamber  which  is  above  the  water  line. 
They  vary  in  height  from  two  to  three  or  four  feet.  In 
summer  the  muskrats  live  in  holes  in  the  banks,  where  the 
young  are  born,  usually  in  May  or  June.  Their  fur  is 
greatly  in  demand,  and  unless  measures  are  taken  to  pro- 
tect them,  it  will  not  be  long  before  the  species  will  be  a 
thing  of  the  past  in  this  county. 


Cooper's  lemming  mouse ;  Bog  lemming.    Synap- 

tomys  cooperi  Baird. 

There  is  no  absolute  record  of  this  mouse  having  been 
taken  in  the  county,  but  I  have  included  it  as  without 
doubt  it  lives  here.  The  records  of  their  having  been 
taken  in  the  State  are  at  Plymouth  and  Wareham  by  Mr. 
O.  Bangs.1  It  is  almost  never  seen  and  is  very  difficult  to 
trap.  It  makes  its  home  in  cool  sphagnum  bogs  and 
swampy  woods.  Description  is  as  follows:  tail  very  short, 
color  light  brown  with  many  black  hairs  interspersed, 
some  specimens  with  a  slight  tinge  of  reddish  brown, 
others  somewhat  grayer;  ears  very  short,  hidden  in  the 
hair;  upper  front  teeth  grooved;  mammae  six.  In  appear- 
ance it  closely  resembles  the  common  field  mouse,  with 
which  it  frequently  associates  and  could  easily  be  taken 
for  it.  It  can,  however,  always  be  recognized  by  its 
grooved  front  teeth. 

IProceedings  of  Biological  Society.  Vol.  9,  Page  101. 


28  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


FAMILY   ZAPODIDAE. 

Hudson     Bay    jumping    mouse.    Zap  us   hudsonius 
(Zimmerman). 

Rather  uncommon,  but  not  rare  in  the  county.  They 
are  very  tame,  and  I  have  almost  put  my  hand  on  one  be- 
fore it  moved;  then  it  went  bounding  over  the  grass  with 
long,  kangaroo-like  jnmps.  Apparently  they  never  have 
any  definite  direction,  are  as  likely  to  leap  towards  one  as 
away,  and  can  often  be  caught  in  the  hands.  They  are 
readily  identified  by  their  bright  yellowish  fawn-color  and 
their  extremely  long  hind  legs  and  tail.  They  are  usually 
found  in  grassy  meadows  and  swamps. 


FAMILY    LEPOBIDAE. 

Eastern    varying    hare;    White    rabbit.     Lepus 
americanus  virginianus  (Harlan). 

Uncommon.  One  specimen  in  the  Peabody  Museum 
taken  by  C.  A.  Loud  at  Hamilton,  Feb.  8,  1888.  Easily 
distinguished  from  the  cotton-tail  by  its  large  size  and 
very  long  hind  legs.  Color  pure  white  in  winter,  dark 
brown  in  summer,  and  mottled  brown  and  white  in  fall  and 
spring. 


Northern  cotton-tail ;    Gray  rabbit;  Coney.    Syl- 
vilagus  transitionalis  (Bangs). 

Very  common.  In  June  the  female  makes  a  nest  and 
the  young  are  born  in  it.  They  soon  leave  it,  however, 
and  are  often  found  in  mowing  fields  in  July  aud  August. 
They  prefer  brier  grown  patches  in  which  they  hide  and 
which  are  a  protection  against  hawks,  etc.  In  the  fall 
they  are  persistently  hunted  with  hounds  and  often  resort 
to  an  old  woodchuck  burrow,  where  they  are  easily  dug 
out  by  the  relentless  hunters. 


30  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


FAMILY  PHOCIDAE. 

Harp  seal ;  Saddle-back.    Phoca  groenlandica  Erxle- 
ben. 

Color  of  adult  male  grayish  white,  face  black  and  a  black 
band  on  the  side  which  meets  over  the  shoulders  and  tail. 
Females  variously  mottled.  First  and  second  toe  of  front 
flipper  about  equal  in  length.  Total  length  of  adult  about 
5  feet..  Very  rare  from  the  northern  seas.  One  record 
only  for  the  county  and  the  state.  One  taken  at  Nahant, 
the  skeleton  of  which  is  in  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  labeled,  Nahant,  L.  Agassi/'. 

Harbor    seal;    Sea-dog.     Phoca   vitulina    concolor, 
Dekay. 

Very  common  off  the  coast.  They  can  often  be  seen  on 
the  Rocky  Islands  in  Salem  Harbor,  and  almost  any  time 
off  Ipswich  Beach  and  in  the  Essex  River.  As  soon  as  the 
tide  goes  down  enough,  they  come  out  of  the  water  onto 
the  sand  bars,  where  they  lie  sunning  themselves  until  the 
tide  comes  in  and  covers  the  bars.  With  very  little  in- 
stinctive fear  of  man,  they  are  by  nature  gentle  and  affec- 
tionate, quickly  become  tame  if  well  treated,  and  are  very 
intelligent;  yet  they  are  persistently  shot  at  by  gunners 
and  fishermen  at  every  opportunity.  In  fact  a  bounty  of 
two  dollars  has  recently  been  offered  for  their  tails  as  a 
further  inducement  to  shoot  them,  and  a  price  put  on 
their  skins.  The  harm  seals  do  to  fishermen  is  of  compar- 
atively small  account.  They  should,  it  seems  to  me,  be 
protected  by  law,  and  with  this  protection  they  would  soon 
become  a  common  feature  of  our  shores. 


Hooded    seal ;    Crested    seal.    Cystophora    cristata 
(Erxleben). 

Length,  7  feet.  Head  of  male  with  a  large  moveable  bag 
extending  from  the  nose  to  behind  the  ear.  Color,  bluish 
black  above,  lighter  beneath,  varied  with  whitish  spots. 
Distinguished  from  other  seals  by  the  number  of  teeth, 
which  are  four  above  and  two  below,  instead  of  six  above 

1  Allen's  N.  A.,  Pinnipeds,  page  640. 


32          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

and  four  below  as  in  other  seals.  A  very  rare  straggler 
from  the  north.  One  record,  specimen  taken  at  Newbury- 
port,  Mass.,  May  22,  1882,  and  sent  to  the  Museum  at 
Charleston,  S.  C.  It  was  taken  by  E.  C.  Greenwood. 

FAMILY    FKLIDAE. 

Adirondack  cougar;  Puma;  Panther.    Felis  cou- 
guar,  Kerr. 

Extirpated  in  county  and  in  New  England  states.  One 
kitten  taken  in  Lynn  woods  by  Jos.  Williams,  17681,  and 
one  seen  at  Cape  Ann2,  are  the  only  records. 

1  Lewis :  History  of  Lynn,  1829,  p.  169. 

2  Felts:  History  of  Salem,  Vol.  1.  p.  120. 

Bay  lynx;  Bobcat;  Wildcat.    Lynxruffus  (Gulden- 
stadt). 

Practically  extirpated  in  the  county.  One  taken  at  Dan- 
vers,  Jan.  21,  1821,  and  one  in  Lynnfield  in  1832  by  Eben 
Aborn,  both  of  which  are  now  in  the  collection  of  the 
Peabody  Museum,  these  are  very  badly  mounted  owing  to 
ignorance  in  the  art  of  taxidermy.  There  is  also  a  record 
of  one  killed  in  Front  St.,  Salem,  Jan.  1821,  and  of  one 
killed  in  1700  by  Rev.  Mr.  Green.1  In  1770  wildcats 
were  plentiful  and  had  been  for  years  previously  and  a 
bounty  was  paid  for  them  by  the  town  of  Boxford.2 
There  are  still  a  few  in  the  western  parts  of  the  state. 

1  Felt's  Annals  of  Salem,  1845,  p.  518. 

2  Perley's  History  of  Boxford,  1880,;p.  248. 

FAMILY  CANID^E. 

Red   fox ;    Cross   fox ;    Black    fox.     Vulpes   fulvus 
(Desmarest). 

Very  common,  living  in  burrows  in  the  woodlands  and 
fields.  Many  of  our  mammals  have  been  driven  out  by  the 
advance  of  civilization  but  the  fox  apparently  holds  his 
own,  and  although  persistently  hunted  with  dogs  there 
are  now  large  tracts  owned  by  individuals  who  will  not 


34          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


permit  hunting,  and  on  many  of  these  tracts  the  foxes  rear 
their  young  in  perfect  safety.  The  fox  of  the  present  has 
learned  a  great  deal  of  the  ways  of  man  and  is  quick  to 
learn  and  avoid  new  dangers.  The  town  of  Rowley  early 
paid  a  bounty  for  foxes,  in  1666,  2s.  6d.  per  head  was  paid.1 

1    Gage's  History  of  Rowley,  1840,  p.  405. 

Between  1698  and  1722  there  were  killed  428  foxes  in  the 
woods  of  Lynn1.  In  1748  the  town  of  Beverly  voted  a 
bounty  of  20s  to  be  paid  for  all  old  foxes  and  10s  for  young2. 
In  1678  the  town  of  Ipswich  paid  out  £3,  10s  for  70  of 
them.3 

1  Lewis's  History  of  Lynn,  1829,  p.  155. 

2  Stone's  History  of  Beverly,  1843,  p.  318. 

3  Felt's  History  of  Ipswich,  1834,  p.  43. 

Gray  Wolf  ;  Timber  wolf.    Canis  lycaon  (Scbreber). 

Expirated  in  past  century,  although  apparently  plentiful 
at  one  time.  In  1631  a  bounty  was  offered  for  them  in 
Lynn1.  In  1640  a  reward  of  40s  for  every  wolf  head  was 
offered  at  Salem2.  In  1644  the  town  of  Newbury  offered 
10s  for  every  one  killed  with  hounds,  and  if  trapped  or 
taken  otherwise,  5s  was  offered.  The  head  must  be  brought 
to  the  Meeting  House  and  nailed  to  it3.  In  1644  the  town 
of  Wenham  offered  a  bounty  of  20s  to  any  one  killing  a 
wolf.  Between  1752  and  1757  they  were  very  numerous 
and  troublesome,  and  in  1754  the  town  voted  to  give  £6-1-18 
in  addition  to  previous  bounty  for  killing  a  wolf.4  In  1644 
wolves  were  very  troublesome  in  Haverhill,  and  in  1662 
the  town  offered  40s  for  every  one  taken.  In  1716  five  full 
grown  ones  were  taken  here.5  In  1669  the  town  of  Rowley 
gave  a  bounty  of  20s  per  head  to  any  inhabitant  killing  a 
wolf.  The  colony  gave  a  bounty  of  40s  for  each  one  killed 
In  1661  certain  gentlemen  were  authorized  to  build  pens  to 
catch  wolves.6 

1  Lewis' History  of  Lynn,  p.  37. 

2  Felt's  History  of  Salem,  p.  128. 

3  Coffin's  History  of  Newbury,  1845,  p.  42. 

4  Allen's  History  of  Wenham,  1860,  p.  30 

5  Chase's  History  of  Haverhill,  1861. 

6  Gage's  History  of  Rowley,  1840. 


36          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

In  1678  John  Edward  was  allowed  £3  for  killings  wolves.' 
In  1687  the  town  of  Haverhill  offered  15s  for  every  full 
grown  wolf,  and  7/6  for  every  young  one.2  In  1698,  20s  was 
allowed  for  each  full  grown  wolf  at  Lynn.3  In  1695  the 
town  of  Andover  voted  20s  for  every  wolf  caught  and 
brought  to  the  constable.4  In  Gloucester  in  1707  Ezekiel 
Woodward  killed  three  wolves,  and  in  1713  John  Lane  was 
paid  £1  10s  for  a  full  grown  wolf;  in  1754  the  town  allowed 
£4  for  grown  wolves  and  £2  for  young  ones.4 

1  Stone's  History  of  Beverly,  1843.  p.  310. 

2  Chase's  History  of  Haverhill.  1861,  p.  147. 

3  Lewis'  History  of  Lynn,  1829,  p.  145. 

4  Abbott's  History  of  Andover,  1829,  p.  51. 

5  Babson's  History  of  Gloucester,  i860,  p.  201. 

FAMILY  MUSTELINE. 

Otter.    Lutra  canadensis  (Schreber). 

Very  rare  in  the  county.  Found  usually  along  streams 
and  lakes  near  the  seacoast.  Otters  are  graceful  swim- 
mers; they  glide  swiftly  through  the  water,  and  will  out- 
swim  and  catch  fish  in  spite  of  all  their  rapid  twisting  and 
darting.  An  old  female  will  take  the  most  solicitous  care 
of  her  young  and  defend  them  even  with  her  life.  They 
live  almost  entirely  on  fish. 

Eastern  skunk.    Mephitis  putida  (G.  Cuvier). 

Common  in  open  woodlands  and  fields  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts. Seldom  seen  in  the  daytime.  The  young  are  born 
early  in  the  spring  and  by  the  last  of  May  or  the  first  of 
June  are  led  forth  by  the  old  ones  to  receive  their  first 
lesson  in  the  art  of  procuring  a  living.  And  it  is  not  un- 
common at  this  time  to  see  an  adult  in  the  late  afternoon 
moving  leisurely  along  followed  by  four  or  five  young  ones 
in  single  file  or  with  the  young  crowding  so  close  around 
the  female  as  to  appear  at  a  distance  like  one.  They  are 
rather  beneficial  around  barns  living  largely  on  mice,  rats 
and  reptiles.  But  they  do  not  hesitate  to  make  a  meal  off 
of  chickens  or  eggs  if  temptation  is  placed  in  their  way. 
As  a  weapon  of  defense  they  have  the  power  of  emitting 
a  powerful  odor  but  seldom  use  it  unless  disturbed  or  badly 


38  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

frightened.     They  become  very  tame  in  captivity  and  there 
is  rarely  any  odor  from  them  if  kindly  treated. 

Large    brown    mink.     Putorius    vison  lutreocephalus 
(Harlan). 

Not  uncommon  on  the  coast.  The  females  construct 
nests  inside  a  log  or  among  the  rocks  usually  near  a  stream 
and  well  hidden  in  the  grass  or  thick  bulrushes.  Not 
strictly  a  nocturnal  or  diurnal  mammal,  but  after  a  hearty 
meal  they  will  turn  in  and  sleep:  upon  awakening  they 
will  start  out  on  another  hunt,  not  seeming  to  care  whether 
it  is  broad  daylight  or  midnight. 

Little  brown  weasel.  Putorius  cicognanii  (Bonaparte). 

Length,  male  about  11  in.  Female  about  9  in.  Not 
uncommon  in  open  rocky  places  and  in  stone  walls  on  edge 
of  woods.  They  appear  suddenly  as  if  from  nowhere, 
sometimes  within  a  few  feet  of  you, — seemingly  not  at  all 
afraid  of  man — and  disappear  again  quickly  and  quietly  as 
if  into  space.  Color,  white  in  winter,  brown  above  in 
summer,  and  a  mixture  of  brown  and  white  in  spring  and 
fall.  They  make  their  nests  in  the  roots  of  hollow  trees, 
or  sometimes  take  possession  of  the  chipmunk  or  wood- 
chuck  burrows.  They  go  on  long  hunts,  sometimes  for  a 
week  or  two,  at  times  travelling  miles  in  a  single  night. 

New  York  weasel.     Putorius  noveboracensis  Emmons. 

Length  of  male  about  16  in.  Female  13  in.  In  woods, 
sometimes  near  houses.  This  is  a  larger  form  than  P. 
cicognanii, though  its  habits  are  much  the  same.  It  is  rather 
uncommon  in  the  county. 

FAMILY  PKOCYONID^E. 
Raccoon  ;  Coon.     Procyon  lotor  (Linne). 

Rare  in  the  county.  Found  in  deciduous  and  mixed 
woods.  They  make  their  nests  and  have  their  young  in 
hollow  trees.  Sometimes  they  make  use  of  the  nests  of 
hawks  and  owls  to  sleep  in.  At  other  times  they  hang  up 


40  MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

in  the  crotch  of  a  tree  within  a  short  distance  of£the  top 
invisible  from  below  and  here  they  sleep  comfortably  and 
safe  from  their  enemies.  The  young  from  3  to  6  in  number 
are  born  sometime  in  April  or  May.  They  remain  with  the 
parent  for  at  least  a  season,  and  when  the  old  ones  leave 
them  for  any  length  of  time  their  crying  is  said  to  closely 
resemble  that  of  an  infant. 

FAMILY  UKSID^E. 

Black  bear.     Ursus  americanus  Pallas. 

Extirpated  in  the  county.  In  Lewis'  History  of  Lynn  , 
(p.  36)  there  is  an  account  of  an  early  settler  having  a  fight 
with  a  bear.  Felt's  Annals  of  Salem,  (p.  267)  states  that 
in  1699  they  were  very  common  in  the  woods,  and  were 
occasionally  seen  for  sixty  years  after.  In  1759  a  bear 
weighing  400  Ibs.  was  killed  in  the  Lynn  Woods:  Lewis  and 
Newhall's  History  of  Lynn,  1865,  p.  332.  Felt's  History  of 
Ipswich  of  1834  also  speaks  of  their  being  found  in  Ipswich 
Bear  Swamp;  and  Crowell's  History  of  Essex,  1868,  speaks 
of  the  encounter  of  a  Burnham  boy,  who  finally  choked  an 
old  bear  with  a  pine  knot. 


42          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


Order  Insectivora. 


FAMILY 


Common    long-tailed  shrew ;  Masked  shrew.    80- 

rex  personatus,  I.  Geoffrey. 

Common  locally.  Dr.  G.  M.  Allen  and  Dr.  C.  W 
Townsend  found  it  at  Ipswich  Beach.  This  tiny  mamma1 
can  hardly  be  compared  with  any  other  in  this  vicinity.  It 
is  3.71  inches  long,  very  slender,  with  long  pointed  nose 
and  extremely  long  "  whiskers."  Dark  brown  above, 
shading  to  gray  on  under  side.  They  look  very  tiny  when 
compared  with  any  of  the  mice.  Their  food  consists 
mostly  of  insects  which  they  hunt  persistently  winter  and 
summer  generally  along  the  edge  of  streams.  They,  (like 
all  the  small  insectivora)  sometimes  find  the  summer 
drought  too  ranch  for  them  and  many  die  from  thirst  at 
this  time.  They  are  usually  found  beneath  old  boards  or 
logs.  Dr.  Merriam,  speaking  of  their  voracious  habits, 
states  that  he — "Once  confined  three  of  them  under  an 
ordinary  tumbler.  Almost  immediately  they  began  fight- 
ing, and  in  a  few  moments  one  was  slaughtered  and  eaten 
by  the  other  two;  before  night  one  of  these  killed  and  ate 
the  other.  Hence  in  less  than  eight  hours  one  of  these 
tiny  beasts  had  consumed  two  of  its  own  species,  each  as 
large  and  heavy  as  itself."  The  following  quotation  from 
American  Mammals  by  Stone  &  Cram  is  of  interest  in  this 
connection.  "  If  one  is  sitting  quietly  in  the  woods  it 
sometimes  happens  that  a  slight  rustling  of  leaves  reaches 
the  ear.  There  is  no  sound,  but  the  eye  rests  on  a  fallen 
leaf  that  seems  to  move.  Presently  another  turns  com- 
pletely over.  Then  something  evanescent  like  the  shadow 
of  an  embryonic  mouse  appears  and  vanishes  again  before 
the  retina  can  catch  the  perfect  image, — and  you  have 
seen  a  shrew." 


44          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


Eastern   mole   shrew;    Large  Marina;  Eastern 
short-tailed  shrew.     Blanna  brevicauda  (Say). 

This  is  a  much  larger  mammal  than  the  preceding,  being 
about  5  in.  long,  with  stout,  short  tail.  Often  mistaken 
for  a  true  mole,  the  fore  feet,  however,  serve  to  distinguish 
them  as  they  are  very  small  and  mouse  like  while  the 
true  moles  are  very  large  and  nipper  like.  This  is  the 
commonest  of  our  shrews,  and  might  be  called  abundant 
in  the  county.  When  seen. in  the  daytime  they  seem  rather 
stupid.  While  sitting  quietly  at  lunch  on  an  island  in  the 
Ipswich  river,  one  came  out  within  three  feet  of  me,  and  I 
easily  caught  him  in  my  hand.  They  do  not  hibernate, 
and  may  sometimes  be  seen  on  the  snow  even  in  the  coldest 
weather.  They  emit  a  disagreeable  musky  odor  when 
frightened,  which  serves  as  a  protection  to  them  from 
many  of  their  enemies.  Cats  will  sometimes  catch  them 
and  play  with  them  but  I  believe  never  eat  them.  Foxes 
also  catch  them  to  take  home  for  their  young  to  play  with. 
Found  in  woods  and  fields  everywhere. 

FAMILY  TALPID.E. 

Star-nosed     mole;     Black    mole;     Long- tailed 
mole  ;  Swamp  mole.     Condylura  cristata  (Linne). 

This  is  the  common  mole  of  the  county;  it  is  found  in 
the  bottomlands  and  swamps,  usually  near  some  body  of 
water.  It  is  easily  recognized  by  its  peculiar  star-shaped 
nose.  They  make  extensive  tunnels  which  can  be  located 
by  the  large  piles  of  black  dirt  thrown  up.  They  show  no 
fear  of  the  water  and  are  good  swimmers.  Many  of  them 
die  in  the  hot  weather  when  away  from  the  water,  proba- 
bly from  thirst. 


4(5       MAMMALS  OF  EASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 
Order  Ghiroptera. 

FAMILY  VESPERTILIONIDAE. 

JLittle  brown  bat.     Myotis  lucifugus  (LeConte). 

Common  ;  nocturnal,  spending  the  days  in  caves  or  hol- 
low trees.  Length  3.40  inch.  Color  dark  brown. 

Say's  bat ;  Little  brown  bat.    Myotis  subulatus  (Say). 

Uncommon.  Much  like  preceding  except  ears  much 
longer,  and  the  knuckle  bones  of  the  hands  come  on  a  level 
with  each  other  across. 

Silver-haired  bat.  Lasionycteris  noctivayans  (LeConte). 

Probably  occurs  in  the  county.  Length  4  in.  Expanse 
of  wing  9  or  10  in.  Fur  very  dark  brown,  with  silvery- 
white  tips.  Ears  short  and  rounded. 

Northern  Georgia  bat;    Dusky   bat.    Pipistrellus 
subflavus  obscurus  Miller. 

To  be  looked  for.  Probably  occurs.  Length  3.40  in. 
Fur  light  yellowish  brown,  mottled  with  dusky,  below 
uniform  yellowish-brown.  Has  been  recorded  from  the 
State  at  Concord,  Mass. 

Large    brown    bat;    House    bat.    Eptesicus  fuscus 
(Beauvois), 

Nocturnal.  Spends  day  in  buildings,  caves,  or  on  trees. 
Winters  in  New  England,  common  in  the  county.  It  is 
about  the  last  to  make  its  appearance  in  the  evening,  and 
does  not  usually  come  out  until  it  is  too  dark  to  identity- 
Distinguished  from  other  brown  bats  by  its  large  size. 
Length  4.60  in.  Expanse  of  wings  12  in. 


48          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 


Red  bat;  New  York  bat;  Tree  bat.    Lasiurus  bo- 
realis  (Muller), 

Not  uncommon.  Nocturnal,  usually  hanging  up  in  trees 
in  daytime,  and  not  so  often  found  in  caves  and  buildings. 
Distinguished  by  bright  rusty  red  color,  always  lighter  on 
lower  surface.  Hair  somewhat  tipped  with  white,  and  a 
whitish  patch  in  front  of  each  shoulder.  Base  of  wing  and 
whole  interfemoral  membranes,  also  base  of  ears  thickly 
covered  with  fur.  Comes  out  earlier  in  the  evening  than 
other  bats,  while  it  is  still  quite  light,  so  that  its  bright 
color  can  be  readily  seen.  One  of  these  was  caught  at 
Topsfield  this  year,  and  it  had  four  young  clinging  to  it. 
It  often  (as  do  other  bats)  takes  its  young  with  it  when 
seeking  food.  The  little  ones  cling  tightly  around  the 
mother,  and  seem  to  interfere  but  little  with  her  flying. 
The  bats  usually  seen  about  the  electric  lights  in  summer 
belong  to  this  species. 

Hoary  bat.    Lasiurus  cinereus  (Beauvois). 

Rare.  Nocturnal,  spending  day  in  trees.  Very  large, 
length  5.40  in.  Expanse  of  wing  12  to  15  in.  Much  larger 
than  Red  bat,  but  with  same  dense  covering  of  fur  over 
the  interfemoral  membrane.  Color  mixed  dark  brown  and 
yellowish,  the  brown  fur  more  or  less  tipped  with  silvery 
white,  grayish  white  below.  This  species  is  easily  identi- 
fied, even  on  the  wing,  by  its  very  large  size,  sharp,  nar- 
row wings,  and  very  swift  flight. 


50          MAMMALS    OF    EASTERN    MASSACHUSETTS 

Bibliography. 


Life  Histories  of  Northern  Animals,  2  Vols.,  by  Ernest 
Thompson  Seton. 

American  Animals,  by  Stone  and  Cram.  A  guide  to  the 
Mammals  of  North  America  north  of  Mexico. 

Mammals  Living  and  Extinct,  by  Flower  and  Lydeker. 
Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,  by  Ernest  Thompson  Seton. 
Lives  of  the  Hunted,  by  Ernest  Thompson  Seton. 

Catalogue  of  Mammals  of  Massachusetts.  Bulletin  of 
Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology,  1,  pp.  143-252. 

Notes  on  North  American  Mammals,  by  Outram  Bangs, 
Proc.  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History,  Vol.  XXVI. 

List  of  Mammals  of  New  England,  by  Glover  M.  Allen. 
Occasional  papers  of  Boston  Society  of  Natural  His- 
tory, Vol.  VII. 

Whales  and  Porpoises. 

Marine  Mammals  and  American  Whale  Fisheries,  by 
Charles  M.  Scammon. 

Smithsonian  contribution  to  Knowledge,  Vol.  XXXIII, 
published  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  1904. 

Whales,  by  F.  E.  Beddard,  M.  A.,  F.  R.  S. 


INDEX 


Adirondack  cougar,  32 
Alee  americanus,  14 

Bat,  hoary,   48 

Tree,    48 

Little  brown,   46 

Say's,    46 

Silver-haired,    46 

Northern    Georgia,    46 

Large   Brown,    46 

Dusky,    46 

House,    46 

Red,    48 

New  York,   48 
Bay   lynx,   32 
Balaenoptera  physalus,  6 
musculus,    6 
acuto-ros- 
trata,   6 
Balaenidae,   4 
Beaver,  20 

Blarina  brevicauda,   44 
Blackflsh,  10 
Black   Bear,    40 
Bobcat,   32 
Bog  lemming,   26 

Canidae,  32 
Cachalot,    6 
Castor  canadensis,   20 
Castoridae,   20 
Canis  lycaon,   34 
Cetacea,    4 
Cervldae,  14 
Chipmunk,    18 
Chiroptera,    46 
Cowflsh,    8-12 
Cystophora  cristata,  30 
Coney,  28 
Coon,  38 
Condylura  cristata,   44 


Deer,  14 

Delphinus   delphis,    12 
Delphinidae,    10 
Delphinapterus  leucas,   10 
Dolphin,  striped,   12 
common,    12 

Eptesicus  fuscus,  46 
Epimys  rattus,   22 

norvegicus,    22 

Evotomys  gapperi  ochraceus, 
24 

Eubalaena  glacialis,  4 

Felidae,  32 
Fells  couguar,  32 
Finback,  6 
Fiber-zibethicus,    26 
Fox,  Red,   32 
"    Black,   32 
'    Cross,  32 

Globicephala  melas,  10 
Ground  hog,  18 
Grampus,   12 
Grampus    griseus,    12 

Hare,  Eastern  varying,  28 
Hyperoodon    ampullatum,    8 

Insectivora,   42 
Kogia  breviceps,   8 

Lagenorhynchus  acutus,  12 
Laslurus  borealis,   48 
cinereus,    48 
Lasionycteris    noctivagans, 

Large   Blarina,    44 
Leporidae,   28 


52 


INDEX 


Lepus    americanus    virginia- 

nus,  28 

Lutra  canadensis,  36 
Lysters  chipmunk,  18 
Lynx  ruffus,  32 

Mammalia,  4 
Marmota  monax,   18 
Mesoplodon  bidens,    8 
Megaptera  nodosa,  4 
Meadow  vole,  24 
Mephitis  putida,   36 
Microtus   pennsylvanicus,    24 
Moose,   14 

Mouse,  Hudson     Bay    Jump- 
ing, 28 

common    house,    22 

meadow,    24 

wood,    22 

eastern    red-backed, 
24 

cooper's  lemming,  26 

field,   24 

deer,    22 

eastern  white-footed, 
22 

Mink,  large  brown,  38 
Mole,  long-tailed,    44 
star-nosed,    44 
swamp,    44 
black,    44 
Muridae,  22 
Musquash,  26 
Muskrat,  26 
Mus  musculus,  22 
Mustelidae,  36 
Myotis  subulatus,    46 

luclfugus,    46 

Northern  cotton-tail,  28 
Northern  Virginia  Deer,  14 
Nord-caper,    4 

Odocoileus  virginianus  borea- 

lis,  14 
Otter,  36 
Orcinus  orca,  10 
Orca,  10 

Panther,  32 

Peromyscus    leucopus    nove- 

boracensis,  22 
Pipistrellus  subflavus  obscur- 

rus,   46 

Physeteridae,  6 
Physeter   macrocephalus,   6 


Phocidae,   30 
Phocaena   phocaena,    12 

"        vitulina  concolor,  30 
Porpoise,  sea,   12 

ring-eyed,   12 

bottle-nose,  12 

skunk,    12 

common  harbor,  12 
Procyonidae,    38 
Procyon  lotor,   38 
Putorius  noveboracensis,  38 

vison    lutreocepha- 
lus,    38 

cicognanii,   38 
PufHng  pig,   12 
Puma,   52 

Rodentia,    16 
Rabbit,  gray,    28 
white,   28 
Raccoon,  38 
Rat,  black,  22 

'    wharf,    22 

'    Norway,  22 

'    brown,  22 

Sciuropterus    sabrinus    mac- 

rotis,    20 

Sciurus  carolinensis  leucotis, 
16 

Sciuropterus  volans,  20 
Sciurus    hudsonicus    loquax, 
16 

Sciuridae,  16 
Seal,  crested,   30 

harp,    30 

'    saddle-back,   30 
'    harbor,   30 
"    hooded,   30 
Sea-dog,  30 
Shrew,  eastern  mole,  44 

masked,   42 

"        eastern    short- tailed, 
44 

"       common,    long-tailed, 
42 

Skunk,  eastern,  36 

Southern    chickaree,    16 

Soricidae,  42 

Sorex    personatus,    42 

Squirrel,  striped,   18 
ground,  18 
northern   gray,    16 
southern   flying,    20 
Canadian  flying,  20 
southern  Red,   16 


INDEX 


63 


Sylvilagus    transitionalis,    28 
Synaptomys   cooperl,    26 

Phoca   groenlandlca,    30 

Tamlaa    strlatus    lysterl,    18 
Talpidae,   44 
Turslops  truncatus,  12 

Ungulata,   14 

Ursldae,   40 

Ursus  americanus,   40 

Vespertillonldae,    46 
Vulpes  fulvus,  32 

Weasel,  New  York,  38 

little    brown,    38 
Whale,  Bottle-nose  8 

"        Common  Finback,  6 
Blue.   6 


Whale      Black,  4 

Little  Piked,  6 

Killer,  10 

Pug-head,    8 

Pilot,  10 

Pigmy   Sperm,    8 

Sower  by' s,    8 

Social,    10 

Sulphur-bottom,   6 

Sperm,    6 

Right,    4 

Humpback,    4 

Two-toothed,  8 

White,    10 
Wildcat,  32 
Woodchuck,    18 
Wolf,  Timber,  34 
Gray,  34 

Zapodidae,    28 
Zapus  hudsonius,   28 


